Pictures showing silent streets in Alice Springs have reignited claims that problem youths were ferried out of town ahead of Anthony Albanese’s visit to the troubled outback community.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles, made an emergency trip last week, where they announced a range of new measures to address an out-of-control youth crime wave and surge in alcohol-fuelled violence.
Strangely enough, the gangs of youths usually roaming the streets were nowhere to be seen during the PM’s visit last Tuesday — and the one thing on everyone’s lips is “the buses”.
New photos sent to the “Action for Alice” Facebook page showed something resembling a ghost town during the week of Albanese’s visit.
“Amazing, notice something? (It) only took national and international coverage on the absolute pile of s*** we put up with,” the page’s administrator posted.
Before Albo’s visit, the rumour goes, “five buses” arrived to quietly shuttle the worst of the troublemakers out of town for the day.
“Five large buses in town today,” wrote the Action for Alice Facebook page. “They have taken the kids away before our guests arrive.”
A Northern Territory nurse also claimed to see youths being ferried out of the high-crime area right before the convoy of federal politicians and media figures approached.
“He (Albo) came into Alice Springs for five hours and they come up with restricting takeaway alcohol for Monday and Tuesday,” the nurse told Channel Nine’s Today Show on Tuesday. “That‘s where the conversation ended — you have to be there on the ground.
“The children were all bussed out for the day when the Prime Minister was in town. And then they came back later on that night.”
Locals called on the federal government to see the problem for their own eyes.
“If the government was serious about taking action then Albanese should have been able to see it with his own eyes to get a real understanding of the issues,” one person said under the post. “Only then can the Government work with the authorities to find a resolution not a temporary band aid.”
However, some locals suggested the empty streets were purely because of the stormy weather.
However, the government “categorically” denies the rumour.
Ms Fyles said there was “always a sense” among business owners and residents “that streets get cleaned up” before any VIP visits and “those sort of comments are always swirling, but in this case, saying people were bussed out of Alice Springs is incorrect”.
Darren Clarke, a baker in Alice Springs who also runs the Action for Alice page, said he was certain the chaos on the streets would continue once the official entourage left town.
“What solutions were offered yesterday that’s what I have to ask, (it was) just a little band aid, just a little token announcement,” he said.
“Yesterday it was cleaned out … some of the photos from around the CBD last night was unbelievable, we’ve never seen it so quiet.
“So why can’t they do that all the time, why can’t they do that for the community of Alice Springs? Why can’t they get these kids off the streets every night and make them safe.”
Each day new stories of crime filter out of the town, with a young mother saying her town has become a “nightmare” after her 16-year-old son was ambushed by three teens and attacked with an axe.
According to his mother Nanfom, the boy was on his usual evening walk around the park just after 5.45pm Monday when three alleged attackers approached.
